Fatfish Posted April 15, 2002 Report Share Posted April 15, 2002 Hey everyone! Does any body know of a fish retailer in Auckland that sells SIAMESE ALGAE EATERS?? No one seems to know what I'm talking about, and all the pet shops keep saying "Ooh you mean a Chinese Algae eater" or "Ooh you mean flying foxes" Any help appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted April 15, 2002 Report Share Posted April 15, 2002 Hi there and welcome to NZ fishroom Fatfish. I can't provide a definite answer for you, Jansens Northshore had some last time I was up there and I would have thought that Hollywoods (Mt Roskill) and Jansens (3 Kings) would have had some. I suspect that there is confusion over the naming (on the retailers part). I very rarely (actually can't even recall once) see them being sold as Saimese algae eaters, the most common name they are sold by is Blackline Flying Foxes. Hope this bit of info helps in your hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted April 15, 2002 Report Share Posted April 15, 2002 I know Siamese Algae Eaters as Black Line Flying Foxes- other shops also use this common name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted April 15, 2002 Report Share Posted April 15, 2002 The fish you are probably referring to is Crossocheilus siamensis commonly known as the 'Black Line Flying Fox' It is one of the few algae eater who munch the Red Brush Algae that plague many tanks. Holywoods (PH 620 5249) had some of these a couple of weeks ago. They are available quite regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cees Posted April 15, 2002 Report Share Posted April 15, 2002 http://www.hut.fi/~lsarakon/akva.html good article good drawings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben Posted April 15, 2002 Report Share Posted April 15, 2002 From what I understand, the true SAE is on the prohibited list but comes in fairly regulary as 'flying foxes'. The links provided above distinguish between the true SAE and the 'fake' ones. The SAE's sold in Wgtn are always (in my experience) sold as flying foxes, I'd actually never heard the term 'black line flying fox' till I read this thread. The true SAE is a fish worth its weight in gold when it comes to algae control. They do get reasonably big though. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted April 16, 2002 Report Share Posted April 16, 2002 Hi there - went and checked on what Ben mentioned about SAE's being prohibited (I couldn't think of a reason why they should be - but then sometimes MAF don't need a reason). Check out the following link: http://www.maf.govt.nz/biosecurity/imports/animals/standards/fisornic.all.htm#appendix1 Crossocheilus siamensis Siamese algae eater is on the allowed list I also checked on the dissallowed list to make sure it's not one of those that appears on both (I know of one species where this is the case, but no I'm not going to tell) and it's not listed under disallowed. Don't know why they don't import them as SAEs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cees Posted April 16, 2002 Report Share Posted April 16, 2002 I'm pretty sure they are imported as SAE's. I've got 3 left, had 6 before but they jumped. I know they are SAE's because I don't have any Red Brush Algae. You see them in Wellington area shops regularly. I got them a year ago through the Upper Hutt Club. See, it pays to join a real club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted April 16, 2002 Report Share Posted April 16, 2002 Yip, they are definately SAE's. As previously mentioned they are the correct ones and they are available. I have 2 dozen and they munch red algae really well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfish Posted April 23, 2002 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2002 Yay! Just popped two SAE into my tank - I finally found some at Jansens main branch..... (they haven't done to much yet, but I'm waiting to be impressed!!) Just to give everyone a quick update cos' many people said that the SAE is called a 'Black line flying fox' here. Jansens had 'Flying Foxes', 'Black Line Flying Foxes' AND 'Siamese Algae Eaters'!! so there are obviously three different species (although they all looked pretty similar to me, and the guy there didn't seem to know much, or be able to point out to me the differences.........) whew! so my search is over.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfish Posted April 24, 2002 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2002 Just me again, I forgot to ask something! The two SAE I brought are busy dancing and playing with each other - are they a 'schooling' type of fish? do you think they'd be better off if I brought a few more so they could all 'hangout' together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted April 24, 2002 Report Share Posted April 24, 2002 They do seem to appreciate the company of their own kind, aften 'frolicking' around the tank (not sure if I would go as far as say they school). So if you have the space, yes get more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted April 24, 2002 Report Share Posted April 24, 2002 Yip they school alright. I don't know if its natural, but with 2 dozen in my 8 foot tank they seem to like to zoom as a group from one end of the tank to the other. Initially it scared the discus a bit but they got used to them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cees Posted April 24, 2002 Report Share Posted April 24, 2002 My experience, If you want them to eat the dreaded 'red beard algae'... don't feed them for a while at least. Otherwise they get lazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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